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Biomedical subjects

B Das

Publications and source records attributed to B Das.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Haplotypes, mutations and male fertility: the story of the testis-specific ubiquitin protease USP26.

Recently, mutations in the X-linked ubiquitin protease 26 (USP26) gene have been proposed to be associated with male infertility. In particular a 371insACA, 494T>C and 1423C>T haplotype, which results in a T123-124ins, L165S and H475Y amino acid change respectively, has been reported to be associated with Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) and an absence of sperm in the ejaculate. Here, we demonstrate that two of these changes actually correspond to the ancestral sequence of the gene and that the USP26 haplotype is present in significant frequencies in sub-Saharan African and South and East Asian populations, including in individuals with known fertility. This indicates that the allele is not associated with infertility. The pattern of frequency distribution of the derived haplotype (371delACA, 494T), which is present at high frequencies in most non-African populations could be interpreted as either a result of migration followed by simple genetic drift or alternatively as positive selection acting on the derived alleles. The latter hypothesis seems likely, because there is evidence of strong positive selection acting on the USP26 gene.

Africa South of the Sahara↗
PubMed2006

Removal of iron from groundwater by ash: a systematic study of a traditional method.

A traditional method for removal of iron from ground water by using ash has been systematically investigated. Ashes from five different sources, viz., banana rind, banana pseudostem, banana leaf, rice husk and bamboo has been studied. The principle applied is enhanced precipitation of iron at high pH caused by ash. The study included laboratory analysis of some relevant chemical parameters of the ashes and the efficiency of the ashes in removing iron from prefabricated water with respect to quantity of ash and corresponding increase in pH of water. The ash of banana pseudostem has been found to be most suitable for removal of iron. A low-cost and easily made iron removal system for household use has been designed and tested in the laboratory. The ash of banana pseudostem has been found to remove iron to below 0.3ppm without increasing the pH above the acceptable limit. The optimum values of the different parameters for removal of iron are 200-300mgl(-1) ash, 1.0lh(-1) flow rate and 1h of contact time with ash for groundwater having [Fe] of about 2.20ppm. The amount of ash can be increased for groundwater having higher [Fe] and can be decreased gradually during continuous use of the system. Acceptability of the method has been examined based on chemical analysis of the treated water. Increase in the essential minerals such as Ca, K has been observed in the water after treatment. The designed iron removing system is expected to be suitable for household use.

Bambusa↗
PubMed2006

Arsenic burden of cooked rice: Traditional and modern methods.

Arsenic contamination of rice by irrigation with contaminated groundwater and secondarily increased soil arsenic compounds the arsenic burden of populations dependent on subsistence rice-diets. The arsenic concentration of cooked rice is known to increase with the arsenic concentration of the cooking water but the effects of cooking methods have not been defined. We tested the three major rice cooking procedures followed globally. Using low-arsenic water (As < 3 microg/L), the traditional method of the Indian subcontinent (wash until clear; cook with rice: water::1:6; discard excess water) removed up to 57% of the arsenic from rice containing arsenic 203-540 microg/kg. Approximately half of the arsenic was lost in the wash water, half in the discard water. A simple inexpensive rice cooker based on this method has been designed and used for this purpose. Despite the use of low-arsenic water, the contemporary method of cooking unwashed rice at rice:water::1:1.5-2.0 until no discard water remains did not modify the arsenic content. Preliminary washing until clear did remove 28% of the rice arsenic. The results were not influenced by water source (tubewell, dug well, pond or rain); cooking vessel (aluminium, steel, glass or earthenware); or the absolute weight of rice or volume of water. The use of low-As water in the traditional preparation of arsenic contaminated rice can reduce the ingested burden of arsenic.

Arsenic↗
PubMed2006

Beneficiation of iron ore slime using Aspergillus niger and Bacillus circulans.

Studies were carried out on the removal of alumina from iron ore slime containing (%) Fe(2)O(3) 75.7, Al(2)O(3) 9.95, SiO(2) 6.1, Fe (total) 52.94 with the help of Bacillus circulans and Aspergillus niger. B. circulans and A. niger showed 39% and 38% alumina removal after six and 15 days of in situ leaching at 10% pulp density, respectively. Culture filtrate leaching with A. niger removed 20% alumina at 2% pulp density with 13 day old culture filtrate. B. circulans was more efficient than A. niger for selective removal of alumina. In case of A. niger in situ leaching rather than culture filtrate leaching was found to be more effective.

Aluminum↗
PubMed2006

Structural MRI of carotid artery atherosclerotic lesion burden and characterization of hemispheric cerebral blood flow before and after carotid endarterectomy.

Collateral circulation plays a major role in maintaining cerebral blood flow (CBF) in patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. CBF can remain normal despite severe ICA stenosis, making the benefit of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or stenting difficult to assess. Before and after surgery, we assessed CBF supplied through the ipsilateral (stenotic) or contralateral ICA individually with a novel hemisphere-selective arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion MR technique. We further explored the relationship between CBF and ICA obstruction ratio (OR) acquired with a multislice black-blood imaging sequence. For patients with unilateral ICA stenosis (n = 19), conventional bilateral labeling did not reveal interhemispheric differences. With unilateral labeling, CBF in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory on the surgical side from the ipsilateral supply (53.7 +/- 3.3 ml/100 g/min) was lower than CBF in the contralateral MCA territory from the contralateral supply (58.5 +/- 2.7 ml/100 g/min), although not statistically significant (p = 0.09). The ipsilateral MCA territory received significant (p = 0.02) contralateral supply (7.0 +/- 2.7 ml/100 g/min), while ipsilateral supply to the contralateral side was not reciprocated. After surgery (n = 11), ipsilateral supply to the MCA territory increased from 57.3 +/- 5.7 to 67.3 +/- 5.4 ml/100 g/min (p = 0.03), and contralateral supply to the ipsilateral MCA territory decreased. The best predictor of increased CBF on the side of surgery was normalized presurgical ipsilateral supply (r(2) = 0.62, p = 0.004). OR was less predictive of change, although the change in normalized contralateral supply was negatively correlated with OR(excess) (=OR(ipsilateral) - OR(contralateral)) (r(2) = 0.58, p = 0.006). The results demonstrate the effect of carotid artery stenosis on blood supply to the cerebral hemispheres, as well as the relative role of collateral pathways before surgery and redistribution of blood flow through these pathways after surgery. Unilateral ASL may better predict hemodynamic surgical outcome (measured by improved perfusion) than ICA OR.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Snap-on-handles for a non-powered hacksaw: an ergonomics evaluation, redesign and testing.

Based on the ergonomics evaluation of existing non-powered hacksaws with original/horizontal and conventional/market handles, ergonomically designed hacksaw handles are proposed. To accommodate the entire male and female populations, the hand dimensions are categorized into three groups: small, medium and large. The proposed handles give special emphasis to hand size, length, cross-section dimension and curvature. The three-sized handles for both the preferred (rear) and non-preferred (front) hands are interchangeable to suit the individual hand size. Thus, the concept of 'snap-on-handles' with a fixed hacksaw (blade) can be promoted. The ergonomically designed hacksaw handles were tested/compared with original/horizontal and conventional/market hacksaw handles, in terms of performance or productivity (depth of cut), muscular effort or strain (EMG) and subjective scores (acceptance/comfort). The experimental results conclusively proved that the ergonomically designed hacksaw handles were significantly better than the other handles in terms of the stated criteria. The performance or productivity improvements of the ergonomically designed handles were about 25 and 148%, when compared with the conventional/market and original/horizontal handles, respectively. Furthermore, when the ergonomically designed handle was not matched with the proper or appropriate hand size, there was a significant reduction in performance or productivity, increase in muscular effort and decrease in subjective scores of acceptance/comfort.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed2005

Nosocomial bacteraemia in intensive care unit patients of a tertiary care centre.

Critically ill patients of intensive care units (ICUs) are at particular risk for developing nosocomial bloodstream infections. It is important to know the pathogens causing nosocomial bacteraemia in the ICUs and their antimicrobial sensitivity to formulate appropriate treatment guidelines. We conducted a study from July to December, 2001 in the ICUs of a tertiary care centre in northern India. The records of all the patients who had one or more episodes of nosocomial bacteraemia during the study period were reviewed to identify the pathogens causing bacteraemia and their antimicrobial sensitivities. The source of bacteraemia was ascertained on the basis of a concomitant positive culture from another body site with the same bacteria having a similar antimicrobial sensitivity pattern. A total of 152 episodes of nosocomial bacteraemia occurred in 140 patients. Of these, 148 (97%) episodes were monomicrobial, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21%) being the commonest isolate. Overall, Gram negative bacteria accounted for the majority (71%) of isolates. A source of bacteraemia was identified in 49 (32%) episodes, with lower respiratory tract being the commonest (49%) source. A high rate of antimicrobial resistance was observed amongst the isolates, all enterococci having high level aminoglycoside resistance and 89 per cent Gram negative bacteria producing extended spectrum beta-lactamases. A high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in isolates causing bacteraemia in these critical care wards warrants implementation of strict antibiotic prescribing policies and hospital infection control guidelines.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed2004

Anthelmintic efficacy of Flemingia vestita (Fabaceae): alteration in the activities of some glycolytic enzymes in the cestode, Raillietina echinobothrida.

The crude root-peel extract of Flemingia vestita, genistein and praziquantel were tested against some selected glycolytic enzymes--hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), pyruvate kinase (PK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and malic enzyme (ME)--of the fowl tape worm, Raillietina echinobothrida. Following exposure to the various treatments, the activities of HK, PFK, PEPCK and LDH increased by 33-39%, 41-125%, 44-49% and 55-67%, respectively, and that of PK decreased by 14-26% in the parasite at the time of paralysis. The MDH and ME activities of the tissue homogenate were also found to be higher by 22-43% and 28-59%, respectively, in the treatments. However, whereas the activity of both cytosolic and mitochondrial MDH increased by 33-58% and 43-73%, respectively, the cytosolic ME activity showed an increase of 33-39%, and there was no significant enhancement in the mitochondrial ME activity. Histochemically, the enhancement in the activities of HK, LDH and MDH was clearly discernible. The enhanced glycolytic activity seems to be a function of anthelmintic stress caused by the phytochemicals.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Cytokine expression pattern in the genital tract of Chlamydia trachomatis positive infertile women - implication for T-cell responses.

Human genital infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis is thought to be immunologically mediated, resulting in local recruitment of lymphocyte subsets and inducing the production of cytokines. Little information is available about the role of lymphocyte recruitment and the regulation of cytokine production in the genital tract of C. trachomatis positive infertile women. We have evaluated the recruitment of lymphocyte subsets in the genital tract and production of Th1/Th2 cytokines in cervical secretions and laparoscopic specimens from the fallopian tubes of C. trachomatis positive infertile women (n = 17) and compared them with controls, viz. C. trachomatis negative infertile women (n = 20) using ELISA and flow cytometry. None of these patients were found to be infected either with Candida sps., bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma hominis or Ureaplasma urealyticum in the cervix. Flow cytometric analysis of cervical secretions in Chlamydia positive women revealed recruitment of both CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes to the genital tract was up-regulated and a variation in the production rates of different cytokines in cervical secretions and fallopian tube was observed. We found that the immune responses in cervical secretions were of Th0 type, since all the analysed cytokines, viz. IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-12 were up-regulated. As, both CD4 and CD8 cells contribute to the production of IFN-gamma and IL-10, these results suggest that along with CD4 cells, CD8 lymphocytes also may be important for local regulation of Th1/Th2 responses in the genital tract during C. trachomatis infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Performance of hybrid methods for large-scale unconstrained optimization as applied to models of proteins.

Energy minimization plays an important role in structure determination and analysis of proteins, peptides, and other organic molecules; therefore, development of efficient minimization algorithms is important. Recently, Morales and Nocedal developed hybrid methods for large-scale unconstrained optimization that interlace iterations of the limited-memory BFGS method (L-BFGS) and the Hessian-free Newton method (Computat Opt Appl 2002, 21, 143-154). We test the performance of this approach as compared to those of the L-BFGS algorithm of Liu and Nocedal and the truncated Newton (TN) with automatic preconditioner of Nash, as applied to the protein bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) and a loop of the protein ribonuclease A. These systems are described by the all-atom AMBER force field with a dielectric constant epsilon = 1 and a distance-dependent dielectric function epsilon = 2r, where r is the distance between two atoms. It is shown that for the optimal parameters the hybrid approach is typically two times more efficient in terms of CPU time and function/gradient calculations than the two other methods. The advantage of the hybrid approach increases as the electrostatic interactions become stronger, that is, in going from epsilon = 2r to epsilon = 1, which leads to a more rugged and probably more nonlinear potential energy surface. However, no general rule that defines the optimal parameters has been found and their determination requires a relatively large number of trial-and-error calculations for each problem.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Glycosmis arborea extract as a hepatoprotective agent.

Glycosmis arborea is a plant possessing various medicinal properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective efficacy of the butanol extract obtained from the aerial parts of the plant. The test sample was prepared by extracting the material through different steps. The extract thus obtained was dissolved in normal saline. Albino rats were prophylactically treated with the extract (i.p.) for 3 weeks. At the end of 3rd week all the groups were injected with hepatotoxic agents. After 48 h of injection, blood was collected and livers were taken out. Different enzymes in the serum were assayed and histopathological study was performed with liver. Glycosmis arborea extract was able to overcome the toxic effects of hepatotoxic agents in terms of lowering the levels of serum GPT, alkaline phosphatase and increased level of SOD in serum. TBARS generation in liver was also altered. Moreover, necrosis of liver produced by carbon tetrachloride was reversed by the extract.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed2003

In vitro cytoprotective activity of squalene on a bone marrow versus neuroblastoma model of cisplatin-induced toxicity. implications in cancer chemotherapy.

The development of a non-toxic selective cytoprotective agent that preferentially protects normal tissues from chemotherapy toxicity, without protecting malignant tissues, is a major challenge in cancer chemotherapy research. The available cytoprotective agents are either toxic or lack selective cytoprotective activity. Here, we report the in vitro selective cytoprotective activity of squalene, an isoprenoid molecule with antioxidant properties. Normal human bone marrow (BM) derived colony-forming unit (CFU) growth was increased by squalene in a dose-dependent manner. Squalene (12.5-25 microM) treatment significantly protected the CFUs from cisplatin-induced toxicity; the protective effect was equivalent to reduced glutathione (GSH), a known cytoprotective agent. Squalene also increased the long-term survival of cisplatin-treated 4-week-old CFUs. Cisplatin-induced apoptosis of CFUs as measured by the TUNEL assay was reduced by squalene. To examine the squalene-induced protection of tumours, several neuroblastoma cell lines, including five MYCN-amplified cell lines, were grown in monolayers, as well as in anchorage-independent cultures, in the presence of squalene and cisplatin. Squalene did not protect the neuroblastoma (NBL) cell lines from cisplatin-induced toxicity. In addition, squalene did not protect the NBL cells from carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide and doxorubicin-induced toxicity. In conclusion, our results suggest that squalene has a selective in vitro cytoprotective effect on BM-derived haematopoietic stem cells that is equipotent to GSH.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2003

Effect of treatment for Chlamydia trachomatis during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: To screen and treat chlamydial infection in pregnant women in order to assess the effects of therapeutic intervention on the outcome of Chlamydia trachomatis-infected pregnancy. METHODS: Enrolled in the study were 350 women in the first to third trimesters of pregnancy. Endocervical swabs were collected for C. trachomatis diagnosis by DFA and PCR. A few STD infections, viz.: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Candida spp., bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Treponema pallidum were ruled out. After excluding 22 patients infected with other sexually transmitted infections, a cohort of 328 pregnant women comprised the study population. Anti-chlamydial treatment (viz.: oral therapy with erythromycin stearate, 500 mg 4 times daily for 7 days) was given to 17 women (group I) and their partners. Fifteen patients of group I were retested by DFA and PCR assay for C. trachomatis infection 2 weeks following therapy. Other Chlamydia-positive patients (n=42) who were lost to follow-up were classified as untreated positive cases (group II) while group III included C. trachomatis negative cases (n=269). Data on obstetric outcome were recorded in a total of 164 cases. Statistical comparison of the data were done using the chi(2)-test and means were compared using Student's t-test. RESULTS: Among the 350 pregnant women enrolled initially for the study, C. trachomatis positivity was found to be 18.8% (n=66) in the endocervix by DFA and PCR assay. Co-infection with Candida spp., bacterial vaginosis, T. vaginalis and T. pallidum was 2.0%, 1.7%, 1.7% and 0.5%, respectively. None of the pregnant women was infected with N. gonorrhoeae. Pregnant women at an increased risk of chlamydial infection included those who had multiple births and were in second trimester of pregnancy. Fifteen patients of group I became Chlamydia-negative following treatment. Data on obstetric outcome were recorded in 11, 26 and 127 patients of groups I, II and III, respectively. The mean duration of gestation for premature deliveries was found to be significantly higher in group I in comparison with group II [35.5 vs. 33.1 weeks (P<0.05)], thereby showing an improved effect of treatment on pregnancy outcome. The mean of low birth weight births was higher in group I compared with group II (2200.0 vs. 2113.3 g), however, this was statistically non-significant. Stillbirths were significantly higher among group II in comparison with group III [11.5% vs. 4.7% (chi(2)=1.79; P<0.5)]. No stillbirths were recorded in patients who had taken anti-chlamydial treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that routine screening and treatment of C. trachomatis infection in pregnant women, especially those in high risk groups, should be mandatory to reduce the adverse effects on obstetric outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Selective mitochondrial KATP channel activation by nicorandil and 3-pyridyl pinacidil results in antiarrhythmic effect in an anesthetized rabbit model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion.

The roles of cardiomyocyte sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) and mitochondrial KATP channels in cardioprotection and antiarrhythmic activity induced by KATP channel openers remain obscure. However, it has been suggested that the mitochondrial KATP channels are involved as a subcellular mediator in cardioprotection afforded by ischemic preconditioning. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the administration of non-hypotensive doses of ATP-sensitive K+ channel (KATP) openers (nicorandil and 3-pyridyl pinacidil), a specific mitochondrial KATP channel blocker (5-hydroxydecanoate) and a specific sarcolemmal KATP channel blocker (HMR 1883; 1-[5-[2-(5-chloro-o-anisamido)ethyl]-2-methoxyphenyl]sulfonyl-3- methylthiourea) prior to and during coronary occlusion, as well as prior to and during post-ischemic reperfusion, on survival rate, ischemia-induced and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias and myocardial infarct size in anesthetized albino rabbits. The thorax was opened in the left 4th intercostal space and after pericardiotomy the heart was exposed. In Group I (n = 80), occlusion of the left main coronary artery and hence, myocardial ischemia-induced arrhythmias were achieved by tightening a previously placed loose silk ligature for 30 min. In Group II (n = 186), arrhythmias were induced by reperfusion following a 20 min ligation of the left main coronary artery. In both Group I and Group II, early intravenous infusion of nicorandil (100 micrograms/kg bolus + 10 micrograms/kg/min), 3-pyridyl pinacidil (3.0 micrograms/kg bolus + 1.0 microgram/kg/min), HMR 1883 (3 mg/kg)/nicorandil and HMR 1883 (3 mg/kg)/3-pyridyl pinacidil, just prior to and during ischemia, increased survival rate (75%, 67%, 86% and 75% vs. 60% in the control subgroup in Group I; 67%, 75%, 75% and 67% vs. 43% in the control subgroup in Group II), significantly decreased the incidence and severity of life-threatening arrhythmias and significantly decreased myocardial infarct size. However, late intravenous administration of nicorandil or 3-pyridyl pinacidil at the onset of and during reperfusion did not increase survival rate nor confer any antiarrhythmic or cardioprotective effects. The antiarrhythmic and cardioprotective effects of both nicorandil and 3-pyridyl pinacidil were abolished by pretreating the rabbits with 5-hydroxydecanoate (5 mg/kg, i.v. bolus), a selective mitochondrial KATP channel blocker, but not by pretreatment with HMR 1883 (3 mg/kg). In the present study, higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lower levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the necrotic zone of myocardium in all sixteen subgroups in Group II suggest little anti-free radical property of nicorandil and 3-pyridyl pinacidil. Therefore, we may conclude that intervention by intravenous administration of nicorandil and 3-pyridyl pinacidil (through the selective activation of mitochondrial KATP channels), increases survival rate and exhibits antiarrhythmic and cardioprotective effects during coronary occlusion and reperfusion in anesthetized rabbits, when administered prior to and during coronary occlusion. The mitochondrial KATP channel may be considered to be a potentially important site of cardioprotection and antiarrhythmic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Antimicrobial drug use in dermatology in a teaching hospital in western Nepal.

Medical audit is supposed to oversee, monitor and analyse standards of medical treatment at all levels of the healthcare delivery system. This study was undertaken to monitor the prescribing of antimicrobial drugs for patients seeking treatment in the dermatology outpatient department of the Manipal Teaching Hospital in Nepal. A total of 292 dermatology prescriptions of patients attending the dermatology OPD were collected between July 2000 and June 2001. Prescriptions for antimicrobial agents were separated from the total prescriptions collected, and evaluated. There were more female patients (58.2%) than male (41.8%) in our study; most were in the 21-40 year age group. The commonest cutaneous infections were acne (15.8%) followed by fungal infections (14.8%). Of the 292 prescriptions audited, 149 contained antimicrobial agents, constituting 36% of the total number of drugs prescribed. Of 256 antimicrobials prescribed, 63% were topical and 37% systemic; 5% were generic, 29% were from the essential drug list of Nepal, and 15% were fixed-dose combinations. Most of the patients received one or two antimicrobials, 50% of which were antibacterials and 40% antifungals. Though the selection of antimicrobial drugs used in dermatology was largely rational, anomalies were observed, and these issues were discussed with clinicians in relation to various aspects of drug use. The results indicate there is scope for improving prescribing habits. A periodic audit of drug prescribing is desirable in rationalising prescribing practice.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Genetic identity and differential expression of p38.5 (Haymaker) in human malignant and nonmalignant cells.

Previous studies from our laboratory revealed a novel protein of 38.5 kD on the surface of malignant cell lines of hematopoetic origin that exhibit susceptibility to naive natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis. In contrast, p38.5 was not detected on the surface of NK cell-resistant carcinoma cell lines or normal cells. We now report that this protein is differentially expressed, intracellularly, in malignant cell lines of both hematopoetic and epithelial origin compared with nonmalignant cells. To characterize p38.5 further, we used a previously developed antipeptide antibody (anti-11-mer) to probe cDNA expression libraries and subsequently performed 5' extension by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Sequence analyses of these cDNA clones reveal open reading frames (ORFs) that include the previously identified 11-mer peptide from purified, native p38.5 and that have identical sequences to a gene of unknown function on chromosome 19. Nucleotide sequence data obtained from these cDNA clones, as well as analysis of the genomic sequence, permitted design of primers for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that resulted in a cDNA clone encoding an ORF of 361 amino acids; the clone was identical to a sequence encoded by an unpublished mRNA in GenBank. Anti-p38.5 antibody against the 11-mer peptide encoded in exon 5 and against a 25-mer peptide encoded in exon 1 both reacted with the same protein in immunoprecipitation studies, providing further evidence of identity. RT-PCR and Northern blot analyses both demonstrated p38.5 gene transcripts in normal cells, nonmalignant cell lines and malignant cell lines of epithelial as well as hematopoietic origin. Semiquantitative studies revealed a greater level of p38.5 gene transcription in malignant cell lines compared with nonmalignant cells. Immunoblot analyses of protein expression confirmed and extended the latter studies by revealing substantially greater levels of the 38.5 kD protein in whole cell extracts of malignant cell lines compared with nonmalignant cells. Quantitative differences in detection of the 38.5 kD protein and mRNA in NK susceptible- hematopoietic malignancies compared with NK resistant-carcinomas were not observed. These experiments suggest that the p38.5 gene (Haymaker) is widely expressed in human cells of different tissue origins but that elevated expression is associated with the malignant phenotype.

Amino Acid Sequence↗